Roberto De Zerbi hopes Richarlison will remain at Tottenham, although the forward, who has attracted interest from elsewhere, has yet to decide what he wants to do next.
The Brazilian struck a dramatic late winner as Tottenham, reduced to 10 players, beat Chelsea 2-1 in a pre-season match in Sydney. Kevin Danso received a red card only minutes after entering the game at half-time.
After the match, De Zerbi explained that Richarlison had not made his summer plans clear. “I’m not certain because at times he says he wants to remain, while at other times he talks about leaving. We need to discuss it. There is no issue between us, though. He is a wonderful person, and everyone here appreciates him – his teammates, the club and the coaching staff – because he puts in maximum effort every day.”
Richarlison’s contract has less than 12 months remaining after he moved to Tottenham from Everton in 2022. Although he has found consistency difficult during his spell in north London, De Zerbi believes replacing his scoring ability would be challenging.
“He remains a valuable player for me because finding another forward with his qualities would not be straightforward. Richarlison scores and understands how to get into the right positions. With a new striker, there are no guarantees. His 12 goals last season were not accidental; he has a natural instinct for finding the net.”
Richarlison scored in the 92nd minute to secure Tottenham’s victory over Chelsea in front of a crowd exceeding 80,000 at Sydney’s Accor Stadium. He reacted quickest when Jamie Donley’s attempt struck the post, directing the rebound into an unguarded goal and preventing a penalty shootout.
The clubs were meeting outside the United Kingdom for the first time, but the contest immediately carried the intensity of a London derby. After 10 minutes, Conor Gallagher was booked for a forceful tackle on Dário Essugo, drawing a noisy response from the predominantly Chelsea-supporting crowd. Jan Paul van Hecke then collided heavily with João Pedro, while Dominic Solanke and Levi Colwill became involved in an off-the-ball confrontation.
This rivalry has produced numerous dismissals over the years, and another followed when Danso was shown a red card only three minutes after coming on. The poor playing surface contributed to the Spurs defender losing control of a backpass, leaving João Pedro with a clear route towards goal. Danso launched himself into the Chelsea attacker, prompting the referee to dismiss him immediately.
De Zerbi felt the red card made the contest more difficult for both teams. “It negatively affected us and Chelsea. The pitch was in very poor condition, and we have only been preparing for around two or three weeks. Fatigue naturally appears during the second half, and it is difficult for any side to attack when 10 opponents are positioned behind the ball.”
De Zerbi’s team controlled the opening period and deservedly moved in front after 17 minutes through new arrival Sandro Tonali, who registered his first Tottenham goal. His controlled effort from outside the penalty area took a deflection, wrong-footed Chelsea goalkeeper Teddy Sharman-Lowe and rolled into the bottom corner.
Tottenham’s advantage lasted just four minutes. Estêvão Willian escaped Andy Robertson’s attention and headed in at the far post following impressive work by Jamie Gittens on the left flank.
The intensity dropped after the interval as both managers made numerous changes, but Richarlison restored the drama by deciding the match in its final moments.
Chelsea are set to travel to Hong Kong, where Mykhailo Mudryk will join the squad after receiving permission to return to action. His appeal against a suspension for failing a doping test was resolved by the Football Association and the World Anti-Doping Agency. The Ukrainian winger had initially been banned for four years following a failed test in 2024. De Zerbi, who previously coached Mudryk at Shakhtar Donetsk, described him as being like one of his “sons”.
“I’m delighted because he deserves the opportunity to play again. He is a fine person and an outstanding footballer. I hope he can respond next season to everything he has endured over the past two years – preferably not when facing Tottenham. He is a genuinely lovely person and an exceptionally talented player.”
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